


The Leviathan Prince

by TheTartWitch



Series: Mass Transit/The Gathering of the Fandoms [4]
Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies), Naruto, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Actual Plot to this, Amazing, F/M, Going back in time, Male! Annabeth, Unplanned Pregnancy, Unplanned as in it just happened when i was writing, the addition of Naruto to Percy's group
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-07
Updated: 2015-12-01
Packaged: 2018-04-30 12:35:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5164058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheTartWitch/pseuds/TheTartWitch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Percy is the necessary catalyst for an event that will change the world: the rise of the Roman Empire. It will begin and end with a single footstep out of Mediterranean Waters...<br/>Follows absolutely no true version of history at all: no maps or battles will be in the correct order or format.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Also, I will not be able to post this Thursday for educational reasons so please expect two chapters next Tuesday. I will be using the time in between to get ahead on my novel. Thank you.

-*-

The water’s surface bubbled. Opalescent pockets of air bobbed to the top and slowly popped, showering the surrounding area with a soapy mixture designed to clean the land for royalty’s arrival.

Black hair rose to the surface like an oily lily pad. Soon after, bubbles sliding from his hair and nose, emerald green eyes joined the sopping mop in the air, glittering like a poisoned jewel. As the rest of his naked body slid smoothly from the water and he took his first step onto the land, a small, wraith-like creature with dull black eyes and a see-through, incorporeal form floated alongside his ankles, seemingly impervious to the effects of the liquid they’d just sprung from.

The Leviathan Prince had arrived.

-*-


	2. The Time of Becoming, or Where Jason is Woken from a Wonderful Nap Because of Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Characters Introduced:  
> Jason  
> Piper  
> Rachel  
> Octavian  
> Leo

The sages in the temples were going crazy today: lots of rushing about and shrieking to each other in Latin and sending imperial messenger eagles to who-knows-where. It was driving Piper mad.

“Can you all sit still for one moment, pretty please?” She growled, letting her charmspeak flow out into them. Several of them simply allowed their knees to collapse beneath them and land their butts on the floor. “What’s all the fuss about? Did Octavian slaughter another sacred animal herd again? Has someone drunk all the sacrificial wine? For Venus’s sake, _what is going on?_ ”

The High Sage stood, his legs trembling from the effort. “It has finally begun, My Lady! The Time of Becoming is upon us!” He seemed overcome by something at these words and wobbled. Another sage quickly caught him and it was only then that she realized the High Sage had been so overcome with that _something_ that he’d fainted dead away. She rolled her eyes and continued anyway.

“What has begun? What is the ‘Time of Becoming’?” No one answered her. She huffed in frustration. “Someone tell me now or I’ll have this whole room before my fiancé, the Emperor Jason!” This seemed to prompt some action as a tiny little wisp of a girl stepped forward. Many of the other sages shot her dirty looks, but she spoke anyways.

“The Time of Becoming is when this land shall reach its true potential, when it shall become something greater than just a smattering of cities and shall become the greatest civilization on this planet!” Her eyes practically glowed and she waved her arms gracefully as though to illustrate her point.

“In the world?” Piper asked skeptically. The girl’s head bobbed manically.

“The Great Empire of Rome!” The girl crowed, and Piper’s face whitened. “We shall be the most powerful of all the peoples!” Piper shook her head, one foot stepping back towards the entrance to the sages’ pavilion.

“Jason must hear of this.” She muttered, then motioned to the girl and the High Sage. “You, girl, come with me. You will explain this in greater detail before the Emperor. Take the old man to his living area to rest. We’re going to need him at full power so we may know everything there is to know about this ‘Time of Becoming’.” Her dress’s tails swished gently in the midsummer air as she turned and left, trailed by the young sage girl.

Behind her, the other sages were quickly and efficiently setting up the equipment and star-readers they’d designed for just such a purpose, and were readying themselves for a battle: an epic battle against and for the fate ordained for them by Heaven itself.

A phrase had begun to be whispered, amongst themselves and soon amongst the masses in the palace: “We will be _great_.”

“ _We will be the_ _ **greatest**_.”

-*-

Jason was having, quite possibly, the best nap of his life. He’d just spent several hours presiding over a conference concerning animal problems disturbing the food of a local group of towns and was exhausted. Of course, the moment he seemed to be drifting off, there was shouting echoing through his chambers.

“Jason!” It was Piper. His eyes opened groggily to peer sullenly at the archway of the entrance to his rooms. “Jason, we must speak! There is a vast issue at hand here that must be dealt with _immediately_!”

She’d probably run into another woman discussing how to get into his bed. Good lord of the sky, those vixen were persistent. He’d probably kicked them out about sixty times now; he wasn’t ready to discuss that again at the moment.

“Can’t this wait until I’m awake?” He murmured, voice trudging off into his pillow as he let his head flop back down. It was so _comfortable_ and _warm_ and _honestly_ , did Piper really still think he was cheating on her? Hadn’t he proved that all women were nightmares (besides Piper herself, of course)?

“You will be awake _now_ , Jason Grace, or so help me I’ll get Leo to design an alarm clock that sounds like a dying chicken! You’ll never sleep again!” She was standing right next to him and shouting. What was it with women, sleep, and the yelling right next to his ear?

“Drew never did this…” He grumbled, shifting so one eye peeked out at her. His eyelid drooped almost immediately, but it jolted open when she smacked him.

“Drew was never allowed in your bedchambers, correct, My Lord?” She breathed, her voice like poison so potent his spine straightened from the force in it.

“No ma’am she was not.” He whimpered, one hand climbing up to his forehead to rub the spot she’d hit. It throbbed. Angrily.

“Good. Now, would you like to be a grown-up and speak to me about this _thing_ the sages are going on about? This ‘Time of Becoming’?” Her voice’s octave dropped at the end, hiding what she was saying from the ears of the guards outside his door. He frowned.

“I haven’t heard anything about that. Did something happen?” He sat up all the way, letting his blankets cocoon him like a child. The hand on his forehead dropped to rub the grime out of his eyes.

A small girl he hadn’t noticed before stepped out of the shadows by the wall. “Why of course, My Lord. Surely you’ve felt it? The way even the shadows quivered when _It_ happened?”

Piper’s eyebrows crinkled. “You didn’t mention anything about that. What happened?” Jason waved a palm erratically to indicate she should go on.

The girl’s eyes sparkled a vibrant purple. “Why, _He_ has arrived. You must have sensed it; the crackle in the air as _he_ breathed it in for the first time, the crush of the dirt as _he_ stepped on it for the first time, the water crying as it was forced to leave _him_?”

Jason and Piper shook their heads slowly. “Who? Who is this ‘ _he_ ’ you keep mentioning? A god?”

“No.” The girl laughed lightly. “He is the son of Poseidon, the Heir to the throne of Atlantis, Lord of the Life and Lands Below, Prince of the Leviathan. The greatest warrior to ever walk these lands, greater even than you, My Lord.” She bowed, meaning no disrespect. The gods had entrusted the duty of informing the Emperor on her shoulders and she vowed not to disappoint.

Even Jason was sitting up and paying attention now. It felt like the name was at the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t get his lips to shape it into sound. It seemed as though Piper felt the same, from the way she had pinched her lips together.

The girl smiled kindly. “Perseus Sancti Jackson, the Sea-Walker. He has come to land.”

-*-

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Sancti: Latin, ‘ghost’)


	3. Percy is Unable to Keep it in his Pants, or, the Imperial Army is on the Hunt for a Naked Naiad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy shows off his godly powers and takes a bath. Oh yeah, and some people get incinerated.

Land was hot. And dry, dryer than he’d ever been before. It leeched the water out of his pores and left him feeling empty and sickly. Gravity was also different here. Each step was like a physical weight settling on his shoulders to stay, anchoring his body to the earth below it. The Leviathan beside him didn’t look too bothered by it, probably because it was weightless in the first place and had no need to obey the rule of gravity, floating as it was. He wondered how it did that. It wasn’t so strange underwater, he supposed, but on land it would be startling to the mortals who expected legs or tentacles or something similar, like they had.

“You may need to change shape so we are not threatened. I do not believe humans will take very kindly to a floating sea monster the size of a small human.” He murmured gently to it, marveling at the sound of his voice traveling through air and not coming out as bubbles or bouncing waves through the water.

The leviathan made no move to show it understood, but as they went along it began trying out different shapes: a tall brown beast with hair running down its back and big black eyes that shone, a small furry creature that had pudgy little legs and long floppy ears, and a large slinking animal with triangular ears and a black coat. He liked this form the best and decided to figure out what it was called by humans, but for now he named it Orba Solis in the way of his father. It meant ‘Bereft of Sunlight’ in Latin and seemed true; though his companion’s new form glowed in the sun, it was a muted, shadowy kind of glow, the kind that, underwater, would have warned of lurking predators and hidden threats. He was satisfied.

He encountered the first human town exactly where his father had said it would be, between the crest of two hills and settled by a burbling river that called to his nature like milk to a child. Abandoning all pretense of heading to the town, he loped quickly into the water with a sense of glee, recognizing his element for what it was: precious.

The scream of alarm startled him and he twisted uncertainly, letting his body disconnect and his torso flow into water, _becoming_ the liquid so that without moving his legs he could turn the entire top half of his body towards the sound. The screaming only intensified after that.

It was a woman; she was obviously human, and was staring up at his almost-entirely-liquid-by-now form with something like awe and shock, as though _he_ were the strange one. A pile of cloth was situated to her immediate right.

He ignores her. If the human doesn’t have enough decency to at least make an attempt at conversation, he doesn’t see how she’s worth his time. His attempts at showing courtesy are not part of his purpose. Him saving the world? Definitely.

After all, he’s spent four hundred years waiting for this time to come. He’s not about to do anything unnecessary or annoying; he’s going to have _fun._

-*-

“There are reports of a male naiad in the Siren River, sir. What should we do?” The messenger delivering the report looked sheepish. He was obviously being punished for unsatisfactory conduct by being sent to deliver a laughable citizen’s mysterious note.

“Don’t worry,” the Postmaster shrugged and swept the report to the side of his desk. “Just send one or two of the patrolling soldiers along that way to satisfy the populous. I doubt they’ll find anything; the naiads rarely come out of their rivers and waterholes nowadays, and there’s never been a _male_ naiad before.” The messenger nodded and turned to leave. The Postmaster added suddenly, “how did the citizen recognize that it was male?”

The messenger paused, his face burning. “She said she saw the only definite proof one can see, and it definitely pointed in that direction.” The Postmaster frowned at this.

“And how did she know it was a naiad and not a sun-addled fool?”

“Apparently it was quite beautiful, and as soon as it touched the water, she said that it ‘melted into the river itself, like a wave taking human form’.” The Postmaster scowled.

“In that case, it could have been a monster! Gather everyone at once, and send them to catch the thing! We must contain it before it spreads any further into the land!” He grabbed his sword from beside the wooden desk and attempted to conceal the grin on his face from his fellow man as they rushed to the cohort stationed there’s headquarters. _It’s been ages since I got out of that office! Finally, some action to attend to. I apologize, Lord Jupiter and Lord Neptune, if this is one of your kin. I mean no offense._

Unnoticed by either man, an imperial eagle landed gently on the window and began to preen, its feathers fluffing up around the message from the High Sage on its back.

-*-

“Nakamura, sir, we can’t best it! The monster has the entire river under its beck and call! None of our blows land because its skin is made of water, and it doesn’t even appear to feel pain at all!” Postmaster’s highest officer reported, wiping the sheen of sweat from his brow and glaring into the late afternoon sun angrily. Postmaster growled under his breath. _This is getting too troublesome. If we continue, we might make it angry and endanger the townsfolk. What do I do?_

Even as he thought about the issue, he could feel a high wind building. He turned back to his officer and stopped short.

The man’s eyes were glassy and unfocused and his face was turning blue from lack of air. He seemed to only be standing due to the paralysis in his limbs. Postmaster watched in horror as tiny spider’s web cracks spread on the surface of his man’s skin for a moment, and then the officer shattered like a piece of glass struck with a hammer.

Glancing out over the field, he saw that every single one of his men – an entire cohort – were wipe out and scattering into dust. He seemed to only be saved by the fact that he was out of the monster’s eyeshot, hidden as he was by a large boulder.

_My gods…_

_{My son.}_ A voice rattled inside his mind, forcing him to stop and listen. He knew this voice; it was his mother’s, as familiar to him as any one of his men’s. His mother, goddess of vengeance and justice, Nemesis, who could surely help him avenge his men.

_Mother, help me defeat this monster! He has slain my cohort without mercy and I would have justice!_

_{And you shall, my son. But not here. I cannot help you fight this one; he is a son of Poseidon and a powerful figure in his own right. It would be more danger than it’s worth, Ethan.}_

_Then what am I to do? If I cannot defeat this creature, how am I to avenge them?_

_{Slip away while he has not seen you. There shall come a day when you can face him on equal grounds, but today is not that day. I will give you revenge, as I give it to everyone who deserves it, but we cannot do it now. We must bide our time and wait for the moment to strike when he is at his weakest. Do you understand?}_

_Yes, mother._ Ethan let one foot slide backwards in the sand of the beach, and then the other. He kept going, shaking with hatred and rage, until he had reached the road. The townsfolk had gathered, waiting to hear of their heroic victory, but upon seeing him exit alone, they began to cry and ran home to gather their things and get away from the monster.

_I understand. I can wait._

-*-

 


	4. The Royal Wedding, or How the Imperial Scribe is Finally Useful

The imperial scribe was old and blotchy and there was a wart under his chin that had exactly three black hairs growing from it. He was practically paid to do nothing, because almost no one used his services anymore after the training of the imperial eagles had finished. Today, however, he was getting two jobs in one.

“First of all, I said we’re announcing our wedding today, and second, your tunic is not the right size.” Piper sniffed, tilting her head away from Jason as she was flashed for the fourth time that morning. The scribe’s head flopped to the right for a moment before he remembered himself.

“Emperor, My Lady! Whatever can I do for you today?” He smarmed, attempting to discretely clear the food off his desk and hitting his oil lamp instead. There was a resounding crash and everyone winced. “And My Lord, I know it is presumptuous of me, but might I warn you that you have a slight problem around your…”

“Yes, yes, that’s quite enough, thank you.” Jason interrupted. “Piper has informed me several times already, and I’ve been waiting for my opportunity to slip away and change in the PRIVACY of my own chambers, without anyone BARGING IN. Ahem.” Piper snorted and rested her eyes on the alcove to her right – as far opposite to Jason as she could get – before leaning forward and saying conspiratorially to the scribe, “We all know he did it to himself. Apparently it’s all the rage down in the city these days.” Jason spluttered indignantly as they laughed.

“Anyway, back to business.” Piper said, flipping her hair over one shoulder and sitting down in front of the scribe’s desk. He hurried to sit behind it, leaving Jason as the only one standing. He quickly sat. “We have decided to formally announce the date of our wedding. We’ve decided to host the ceremony next December, to account for any guests who will have to travel from farther away. Details will be announced later.”

The scribe nodded and began to record this on the pad of paper in front of him.

“On a separate note, we’d like a notice to go out to all the towns and cities in the empire: any men with extraordinary powers and god-like strength needs to report to the main citadel. We’ll pay for transportation if they can prove their claims.” Piper continued, making this all sound completely casual.

The scribe looked up, confused, and she stared at him expectantly. “Oh – of course, of course. If you have any other needs, feel free to call me. I shall always be available to you, My Future Empress.”

Piper and Jason stood. “That is very much appreciated, Scribe.” And linked, arm-in-arm, they walked out of the Scribbler’s Hall and back into the sunshine. The scribe sighed and glanced down at his notes. He, like everyone else in the palace by now, had heard the sages’ tale of a god of a man who would bring great power to the empire and raise the land into legend. He supposed this was the Emperor’s way of beginning the search, so the rumors must be true.

How troublesome.

-*-

Percy had continued walking after that refreshing stint in the river. He still didn’t know why those soldiers had turned to dust, but he supposed it was something to be watched for. What if it was a land sickness? After spending his whole life down in the sea, he’d have no way of combatting something like that.

And what about those cloth coverings the humans were wearing over their skin? Was he expected to wear those too? It seemed like a troubling thing, having to cover up all the time in heavy garments and restrict your movement exponentially simply so you weren’t naked, which wasn’t even necessarily a bad thing in the first place.

Humans were trying too hard to be complicated, but if he expected to blend into the crowd of land-dwellers he’d have to cover up as well. Perhaps the next town he found would have some he could take.

-*-

 


	5. In Which Gambling in Dens of Vice Commences, and Jason and Piper's Quarry has Eluded them yet again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Annabeth comes into the picture. Only, a little different. Also, minor crossover with HTTYD, so minor you won't even notice it, but it's still in the tags.

The many people in the courtyards were simply distracting. How was Piper supposed to take her morning walk if she couldn’t even make it five steps into the pavilions? It was ridiculous. Who posted those dang notices anyway?

Oh yes. It was her. Hmm.

This would need immediate remedying.

After breakfast.

-*-

Jason had just had a nice chat with the Royal Healer who had some lovely words to say on why his fiancé was nitpicking and extremely hungry as of late. He was just going to pretend he didn’t know anything when he saw her next.

“Jason! Did you give those hooligans permission to gather in my courtyard?” Ah. Speak of the devil. Literally.

He grabbed his napkin off the table and pretended to be wiping his chin to hide his shit-eating grin. It was best to hide the mirth from Piper, as she most likely would eat him alive if she saw it.

“No, my dear, but there isn’t anywhere else for them to go. The palace has only so much room to hold these people that, might I remind you, were invited by _you_.” He coughed into his napkin at the indignant look on her face. _Oh brimstone and hellfire, rain down on me please._ He thought, seeing her expression. Anything would be better than the consequences she was about to dish out for his careless comment.

“Well,” she snapped with a wicked grin, “perhaps we should get to work on identifying who the real Perseus is? That should lower their numbers quite quickly, correct?”

He smiled weakly. “You are right, of course. I shall set the sages on that task immediately.” He sent a note with the nearest servant, thanking them with a tired smile and secretly requesting that they send for the Healer’s calming tea.

“Oh, and darling, do you think the cook has any rare pig’s meat?” Piper asked with a dreamy smile. “You did just kill a wild boar, right? That would be delicious.”

“For breakfast?!” He was aghast.

“When else would I eat it? Of course for breakfast! That sounds absolutely perfect!” She clapped with delight, and he groaned.

_I hope these nine months fly by…_

-*-

Percy managed to snag a few pieces of cloth and after deciphering the code that was how to put them on correctly, he ventured into the heart of the village.

There was a large building in the central square with a picture of yellow circles and white rectangles with black symbols etched on it, and Percy could smell food wafting from inside. Seeing as he hadn’t eaten anything since the river, he quickly stepped inside.

Inside was a huge group of people gathered around a series of tables. The tables seemed quite ordinary to him, and indeed it seemed the people weren’t interested in the tables themselves but rather the objects on top of them. He recognized the objects from the sign outside but couldn’t think of the name for them.

Whatever. It would come to him eventually.

He shifted on his feet and started into the crowd. About twenty feet from the doorway was an empty table. A tall willowy male with long dirty blond hair and eyes grey as the deep sea fish blinked at him and smiled.

“Welcome, traveler. First time in a den of cards?” He asked cheerfully. He seemed boyish and naïve, but Percy could sense the intelligence and craftiness hidden underneath.

“Is that what they are called presently? I had forgotten…” Percy said thoughtfully, picking one up before the boy could stop him and examining it. It was white and clean, with a black flower and human numerical symbols scrawled into one side. On the other, a graphic design of growing ivy was carefully and precisely cut into every card in the deck so they were all the same. “You made these yourself, did you not?”

The boy gaped at him. “Yes… yes, I did. How did you know?”

He shrugged. “I did not. It was a guess. You merely confirmed it now.” He settled back into the chair to people-watch. It was good to hone his observation skills and see what the humans were doing in modern society. It helped him become forgettable and just like everyone else if he knew what everyone else was like. “Your intelligence is wasted here, you know.” He said conversationally. The boy jumped.

“I’m sorry?”

“Do not apologize if you do not mean it.” He scolded, then muttered, “What is your name?”

“Enneth.” The boy smiled, showing off his white teeth. He set a short glass of water on the table before Percy, looking pleased with himself. “Why?”

Percy sighed and absentmindedly twirled a finger in the air, setting the water to stirring itself. Enneth stared, mouth open in astonishment.

“Well, you see, I am travelling. I am going to travel a great distance and will require companions if I am to reach my destination. Do you understand?” He murmured, not drawing any undue attention to himself. He slipped a finger into the water glass and watched it liquefy. Enneth gulped.

“I do indeed, mister…?”

“Percy. That is the extent of the necessity of your knowledge.” The boy laughed, incredulous.

“I suppose it is. Well, I’m in. I’ve been trying to get out of this place for ages. Just let me get my stuff from the back.” Enneth stepped away, and Percy stood with his hands tucked safely in his pockets, hiding the missing finger and the ball of water in his palm.

“I shall wait out front then.”

-*-

“Enneth, what’s with the bag?” Hiccup asked, holding a stack of flyers in his palm and watching Enneth pack with a look of consternation. “You finally flying the coop?”

“Yep,” Enneth said happily, “and with a real weirdo, too. I mean it; this guy takes the cake. What’s with the flyers?”

Hiccup waved a hand in dismissal, but handed him a flyer anyway. “Just a royal notification. Wedding details… oh, yeah. A reward for any crazy strong or ‘god-like’ men. What the heck?” He scratched his neck, confused.

Enneth gulped, clutching his flyer to his chest and got ready to bolt. “Well, see ya, Hiccup!”

“Yeah, sure…” Hiccup glanced up from his copy, distracted, only to realize Enneth was long gone. “Huh, weird.”

-*-


	6. A Brief Jaunt In Konoha, or Where Sage Girl Flaunts Her Godly Connections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto's 'verse is discovered, Naruto is added to the group, and Sage Girl is suspected of treason.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be adding the Naruto tags to this, so.

The town is overwhelmingly orange. Enneth glances around suspiciously and decides that while everyone looks pretty happy, there must be some kind of evil dictator telling everyone to color everything (shop awnings, bikes, _statues_ ) this color that’s really only natural on fruit.

They stop in a few shops and get provisions with the last of Enneth’s savings, all the while trying to read the various signs around the town. Percy frowns.

“I thought I could understand any language. Perhaps it is only spoken languages that I can converse in…” He murmured thoughtfully, staring up at a billboard apparently advertising someone’s fruit stand. In orange, of course.

“This color is starting to get physically offensive,” Enneth scowled, shielding his eyes against the glare of the numerous sources of orange-colored light reflections. Percy glanced around. Nearby, a few kids loitered. They didn’t look like they had anywhere to go or anyone to go to. Percy could sympathize.

He approached one cautiously.  The boy was blatantly bright, with scraggly blonde hair that curled over one bandaged eye. The other eye was a brilliant sky blue, a color Percy was coming to enjoy. That color meant freedom from the underwater prison his relatives had confined him in for being half-human.

When he was not five feet away from the boy, he stopped.

“Hello. Would you happen to have directions to the nearest currency converting station?” He asked, looking the boy straight in the eye. The boy startled and looked around. He seemed awed.

“Are you talking to me, mister?” He whispered, hands coming up to cover his chest. He didn’t seem to know where to put them, so he settled for wrapping them around his middle.

“Yes.” Percy answered, slightly impatient now. Surely it wasn’t that odd for humans to converse with each other on the open street? Maybe they had to be in buildings? How bizarre. “Can you provide directions or not?” The boy paused. His finger came up to point in the right direction, towards a building that looked like a ragtag group of shacks making up a tower.

“You could try the Hokage’s tower,” he mumbled. “I could show you the way, if you want.” Percy nodded approvingly, and Enneth simply watched with bemusement.

“That would be much appreciated. And do speak up; I am taller than you and thus you should point your voice towards my face.”

-*-

The boy’s path didn’t take the main walkway, choosing to instead use the alleyways and back roads that others didn’t take for favor of the safer streets. Percy noticed that Enneth didn’t look upset or frightened, merely wary, which was good, and he had one hand in his pocket clenched around what appeared to be a pocketknife.

When they reached the tower, the guards out front attempted to stop them from entering. Percy walked right through the middle of them and seated himself in the waiting area. The boy and Enneth joined him after a moment, looking tussled and annoyed respectively.

“You know, you could have explained you just wanted to exchange currency instead of just walking right through like a terrorist.” Enneth pouted, flopping down into his chair. The boy sat stiffly, like he wasn’t supposed to be there. Percy didn’t answer.

-*-

The Hokage was a wary man, with his wide-brimmed hat and guards all around. They might have been invisible, but they still stared right at Percy and the boy with glaring eyes, trying to see through to the heart of their purposes in the city named Konoha.

“Why did you come here, mister…?” The Hokage’s voice trailed off as he noticed the boy. A frown wrinkled his forehead. Percy’s eyes slid to the side, following the man’s line of sight, and his eyelids lowered in suspicion.

“I was merely trying to exchange currency, as my companion and I come from the land nearby and have none of this country’s money. Your guards attacked my guide and I at the door. I am unsure what misunderstanding is happening, but I highly doubt the Hokage handles matters of tourists.” He’d noticed something odd about the boy too, after they’d walked a ways, but if he was so important or threatening that the Hokage would raise the red flag just from him being Percy’s guide, surely they wouldn’t let him just hang out on the street?

The boy fidgeted under the two combined stares until Enneth coughed into his fist. “Hello? You guys had business or something?”

Percy nodded uncertainly and stood. Instantly, every single man in the room pulled out a concealed weapon. Enneth shot up, scowling. “This is ridiculous-!” He started, but Percy’s outstretched arm stopped him from going any further.

“They are simply doing what they think best for their nation.” He said softly, letting the Hokage see his eyes linger on the boy’s wondrous form.

The man looked curious. At an unseen signal from him, every weapon was replaced and the previously invisible guards returned to being unseen.

“I have a proposal to make.” Percy announced. The Hokage nodded cautiously. “I will take this boy somewhere safe and protect him from any harm or those who would use him.” He noticed the staring from the guards and smirked. “He is special to this place, is he not? I will guarantee this for you.”

Enneth frowned and drew an arm around the boy’s shoulders, keeping him close as they watched Percy’s exchange with the Hokage.

“And in exchange?” The old man grinned.

“There is a war coming. I do not know how soon, or how large, but it will come and I want your word that not one of your men will engage in battle, with or against us.” He smiled and held out a palm. The ever-present jug of water on the Hokage’s desk, a threat and a refreshing drink all at once, rattled. A thin stream wound out past the lid and into Percy’s palm, forming a rotating sphere of liquid. A face solidified within it, a skull with a snake curling out of the mouth.

“What is that?” The Hokage breathed, his knuckles clenching.

Percy sighed. “A symbol of where we must go after this.” He waved the hand lightly and the water flowed into his skin through a fingertip. He looked younger, somehow, like the water had reversed something inside of him. “In the meantime, perhaps we could spare a few weeks for the purpose of training him?” He asked, motioning to the boy.

“Naruto?” The Hokage stroked his beard like a cat. “I suppose that would be best. And your friend as well?”

Percy bowed. “That would be much appreciated. You have no need to worry about me, however. I would like some maps, if at all possible, and perhaps a change of clothes?”

“Of course.”

-*-

“This is a waste of time,” the sage girl sighed, propping her chin on her fist. Jason looked up tiredly.

“What is?” He mumbled, stamping another sheet of parchment sloppily. The girl flopped sideways on her lounging chair and stared out at the square through the window.

“Come here.” She waved a palm towards him, and he obediently rose and strode to her. “Look there; do you see his grandfather?” She pointed out the window, and he nodded sleepily. “And that man’s sister and sons?”

“I’m missing your point, I’m afraid.” He yawned and frowned down at her. She smirked.

“If he’s a four hundred-year-old god who’s been underwater his whole life, how could he have mortal family still alive and so closely related to him?” She explained, stretching. His face cleared before he sighed.

“That is true. How am I going to explain this to them?” He murmured. She watched him for a moment, her limbs still hanging in the open air, before standing reluctantly. He followed her movements in confusion. “Where are you going?”

She skipped to the door before turning back, smiling. “To explain. I’m the High Sage’s apprentice, after all. This is technically my job.” She paused thoughtfully. “And I just know you’ve been calling me ‘sage girl’ in your head this whole time. My name’s Rachel.”

He gaped at her laughing back.

“I guess I should get back to that paperwork…”

-*-


	7. Sorry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not a real update, but a valid message.

Okay, guys, this is my apology letter.

Technically I should be posting 2 chapters today, due to missing last Thursday's update as well, but I'm afraid I can't.

I usually store all my writing on a flash drive that I always have on me, but I appear to have left it somewhere in my nasty pigsty of a bedroom and I cannot update for a while until I find it. 

I will delete this message when I find it, so don't worry about a cluttered story. I just thought you all should know.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry this chapter's so short. It's just a teaser to get you interested, really.  
> If you have anything you think should be included, feel free to mention them. I always read comments and I always respond! ;)  
> Appearance of other characters soon.  
> Posting schedule will be every Tuesday and Thursday when possible.


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